New tank set up, quewtions

[cpschult]

Used a few different types of bacteria, aquavitro, Red Sea, one other. Say you can add fish right away, test kit says that's a bad idea? Api test kit.

Tank is cloudy, guessing from all the bacteria I added.

I have a friend holding onto fish for me, I need to get before Friday. Need to know others thoughts on the ammonia.

 

[RobBaglieri]

ammonia is way too high = dead fish

 

[bios]

Agree

 

[amazonjoe]

How many gallons is your tank and what is your biological filtration like. Do you have a sump?

 

[RobBaglieri]

It appears that there is minimal sand and live rock. That is where your bacteria are going to reside.

 

[amazonjoe]

How did you start your cycling? Did you add a source of ammonia or something similar?

 

[Joey waid]

Tank is no where near ready..... unless you have a sump with rock, you need way more rock. Your still a month away if I had to guess.

 

[cpschult]

70g tank, 20g sump, currently no extra rock in it.

Rock is from my 125g tank. I pulled it out and left it outside for a few months to kill it off (aptasia and clam predator - can't think of name off top of head).

I started cycling that rock again two months ago, also used aqua vitro seed to start. Tossed in pellets every now and then to keep cycle going.

I do have marine pure balls AND a the large block in the sump of my 125g. I can move them but had wanted to dip/quarantine before I move to this tank, just didn't have time.

My plan is to go minimalistic rock work in display. May remove the Tonga at some point.

I guess my question is why do these bacteria additives claim to make tank fish ready? I'm assuming ammonia is from sand, I bought the dry fine stuff from my lfs. Other than that I shouldn't have an ammonia source in the tank.

 

[Joey waid]

All your parameters are off, way off. You really need more rock and let it cycle... Is there somebody else that can care for your fish?

 

[cpschult]

I wouldn't say way off, stage 1 ammonia fixing bacteria are having issues. Stage 2 bacteria are working because I don't have nitrite but I have nitrate.

 

[Joey waid]

As far as you putting fish in this weekend, to me they are way off...

 

[Brew12]

Rock is from my 125g tank. I pulled it out and left it outside for a few months to kill it off (aptasia and clam predator - can't think of name off top of head).

I started cycling that rock again two months ago, also used aqua vitro seed to start. Tossed in pellets every now and then to keep cycle going.

Did you do anything to clean the rock before you added the aqua vitro? If I had to guess the dehydrated dead matter in your rocks re-hydrated and started breaking down releasing massive amounts of ammonia. If your ammonia was too high when you added the aqua vitro, it would kill off the bacteria you added almost immediately. Yes, even the bacteria that "eat" the ammonia are killed when ammonia is too high. Your cycle is going but it looks like the biologicals in your rock are decaying faster than the nitrifying bacteria can consume it. The process is going and you have live bacteria in it now, but no telling when it will be safe for fish. It really depends on just how much decaying matter is left in your rocks.

 

[cpschult]

I started cycling this rock 2 months ago.

 

[Brew12]

I started cycling this rock 2 months ago.

To me, cycling is adding water, flow, heat, air and bacteria. That is much different than curing and cleaning it.

 

[Chrisfish]

Agree

+1

 

[cpschult]

To me, cycling is adding water, flow, heat, air and bacteria. That is much different than curing and cleaning it.

After this rock was outside, I had it in a tote with saltwater, heat, and a power head for 2 months. This is what I added aquavitro to as well to speed up cycle. I changed the water twice to help remove phosphates in water column.

 

[stevo01]

Im partial to ocean direct sand ( and I dont rinse the sand either).

So in your 125g you have a clam parasite? Is it because of that you do not wish to use live rock or live water from the 125g?

In the 2 reef tanks ive setup they both skipped cycles.

 

[gtbarsi]

Something is supplying a lot of ammonia, and if you put fish in now you will kill them.
What are you using for water? Have you tested it?

 

[Brew12]

After this rock was outside, I had it in a tote with saltwater, heat, and a power head for 2 months. This is what I added aquavitro to as well to speed up cycle. I changed the water twice to help remove phosphates in water column.

Your cycle is obviously going since you have very low Nitrites and noticeable Nitrates. My biggest concern is that you didn't add an ammonia source and yet you have very high ammonia. From what I have read, this could only be coming from your rock or your sand. Since your sand is unlikely that leads me to believe it is coming from your rock. This tells me you still have a very high amount of organic matter in your rock decaying into ammonia. It is impossible to say when your bacteria will be able to keep up with the ammonia load. Nitrifying bacteria are relatively slow reproducers (double every 6 - 12 hours typically).

I would add some clean, porous material into your sump to give bacteria something to grow on since you don't want it in your display tank. That should help your bacteria population build up more quickly.

 

[cpschult]

Thanks for everyone's replies, we are all on the same page now I think!!

With the ammonia at the current levels im not comfortable adding fish at this time.

I plan on quarantine some of the marine pure from my old set up to this set up, was hoping this rock was going to be enough for these two fish (appears it won't).

Thanks for everyone who responded!!

Im partial to ocean direct sand ( and I dont rinse the sand either).

So in your 125g you have a clam parasite? Is it because of that you do not wish to use live rock or live water from the 125g?

In the 2 reef tanks ive setup they both skipped cycles.

Yeah, the polyclad flatworms I have are nasty predators and it doesn't take much for them to reproduce. I also don't want to bring any aptasia into this tank and I've seen babies on the marine pure balls in the sump.